Capping machine



May 9, 1933.

c. N. BERGMANN GAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 26, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. W ,MOM/

A TTORNEY May 9, 1933. c; N BERGMANN 1,908,216

CAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 25, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 j' .5 Q ',JZ

Z INVENTOR.

16 A TTORNEY May 9, 1933. N, BERGMANN 1,908,216

CAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 19 119.10. I J9 if a? I INVENTOR. WNW 4 A TTORNEY Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rncxneme mcnmn TION or DELAWARE CHRISTIAN N. BERGMAIIN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BERG-lil'iAliTN COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- cArrmG MACHINE Application filed September 26 1930. Serial No. 484,509.

My invention is an improvement in capping machines, particularly designed for the purpose of applying thin paper caps or covers to similar cups or containers for the merchandizing of any suitable commodity, as icecream, cottage-cheese, preserves, or the like.

In the operation of placing paper caps on pa er cups, or caps or cups of any other suitab e material, of usually cylindrical form, the cup is provided with a flaring upper edge and a receiving annular groove into which the cap or cover is inserted with s'uflici'ent force, either with or without a removing tang, to place it securely in position for tight closure and retention of the contents.

Such operation may be performed by hand, but is subject to imperfect fitting, due to undue pressure at. one side, improper centering, and various other reasons resultin in insecure and imperfect insertion.

aapping machines have been devised and used in which plunger mechanism is utilized for the insertion of the disk-like cover, of various kinds, and the use of plungers for such purpose is common andwell known.

In my present invention'I have provided, in a comparatively small, compact and simple mechanism, means whereby the cup may be 6 accurately located on a supporting base in central alinement with a spring-retracted lowering cup and lid centering head adapted to annularly engage the upper edge of the cup, for truly circular centering with the plunger, and having an inner plunger disk for-lowering the cover into desired position,

in a simple, rapid and effective manner.

The outer shell or casing of the two-part plunger is so construtced as to ensure easy :40 and accurate placement of the cover in coriect concentric position within the rim of the cup, and of action thereon of an inner plunger head for positive, accurate placement within the cup.

One preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, in which Fig. 1 is a view of the complete machine in side elevation, with the compound plunger elevated n V V V Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine;

' mechanism.

. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line YIIVII ofFi'g. 5; 4 3 Fig. 8 is a plan view of'one of the closing caps or disks for the container;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view enlarged,

showing the parts in position for operation,

with the covering diskinserted laterally within the head; i 1 Fig. 10 a similar view showing the disk lowered into position by the plunger;

.Fig. 11 is a similar sectional view showing a modified construction utilizing a split ex-. pansion ring; I Fig. 12 is a plan view of such ring; Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view like Fig. 9, showing the action on a cup rim of larger diameter V I l Fig. 14 is a partial view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified construction of centering head;

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view showing amodified construction of the lowering lever In the drawings, 2 is the supporting base i of the machine of any suitable form adapted to provide a stable non-tilting support for. the operative mechanism and of the container.

Base2 is provided with a flat top 3 adapt ed to support the cup 0, and is provided with a pair. of eccentrically mounted guiding disks or abutments 4. Such guiding disks are secured by screws 5 to the base 2, and are capable of being rotated on and secured by such screws in proper position for guiding engagement against thev annular bottom of the cup, so as to positively center it with relati on to the plunger mechanism.

By such means the machine is adapted to use with cups of different capacities and diameters, means also being provided, as hereinafter described, for vertical adjustment of the plunger mechanism, to accommodate it to containers of varying heights as well.

A supporting stem or post 6 is mounted in a boss or socket 7 at the rear end of the base extending upwardly of suflioient height to providefor mounting thereon of the clamping terminalv 8 of supporting arm 9. Such clamping terminal is split, as at 10, and is.

provided with a tightening and loosening screw 11, so that the arm 9 may be fixedly held'in any desired adjusted position.

Arm 9 is provided at its other end with a bearing terminal 12 through which extends the operating rod or shaft 13 having the divided terminal 14, between'the opposite sides of which interfits edgewise the hand-operating lever 15. Said lever is pivoted, at 16, between upwardly extending bearings of arm 9 and engages a roller 17 of terminal 14 for compensating pressure engagement; A retracting spring 18, acting against lowering pressure of lever 15, elevates the mechanism to its normally raised position. i j

A circular centering head 19 is slidably and rotatably mounted on thelower shouldered terminal 20 of stem 13 by its hub 21 and the inner plunger 22 which is screwed to the threaded terminal 23 of shaft 13, as in Fig. 5, in the manner of a nut. 7

Head 19 is hollow having the annular downwardly extending flange 24 for telescoping engagement over the upper outwardly flaring edge I) of cup a, the head and cup being held in approximately concentric relation to each other'by means of the guiding devices 4 above referred to; p g

The head 19 acts to exactly center thecup with relationto the plunger and the cover, and to correct any variation in the cups position, or in its rim, from truly circular form. A further advantage isthat the inner annular flaring face of the ring flange firmly braces the cup rim against the insertion pres sure of the cap.

Flange 24 of head 19 is under cut, as at 25, flaring outwardly from a limiting shoulder 26 against which the upper edge I) of the cup engages whenthe head is lowered.

' Inwardly of shoulder 26 is a comparatively narrow vertical central opening-defining annular ring face 27 adapted to provide a comparatively tight passageway for the descending cap 0, as it is lowered under pressure ,of the plunger 22. V V

; Upwardly above such. limiting interior rim portion 27 of the head the innerannular wall being of just suflicient width to easily admit of the thickness ofthe cover to the interior.

At the front or" the head, midway of slot 29, head 19 and flange 24 are provided with an opening 30 of sufficient width and depth to admit the finger and thumb of the operator in placing-the disk clear in either with or-Without atang d. '2 V 7 By reason of the rotatable mounting of head 19 on its supporting and actuating spindle, the head may be set annularlyffor insertion of the cover at the right or left side or front. as desired.-

At each side of opening 30 the corners of the slotted flange 24 are preferably beveled or cut away, as at '31,'thus facilitating entrance of the advancing edge of the cover 0 a nd facilitatingits insertion. W hen thus in serted, the disk-like cover will then rest upon the downwardly and inwardly inclined an} nular face28 immediately above the smallest diameteropening defined by. the inner edge Plunger 22 is preferably provided with an annular downwardly extending comparatively narrow pressing ring or face 32 adapted to first engage the outer. edge of the cover a,

final comparatively tight passage ythrough innermost centering ring face 27, forexact central placement within the upper edge of the cup a. As is customary in such cups, i't

is: provided with an annular groove 'e into'f which the cover is inserted with tight binding engagement at the linalloweredposition of plunger 22 as in Fig. 10, g

Thereupon, presureonlever 15 is released and the plunger and head are rctracted, tl1'e filled and cappedicontainer is removedhand the machine is ready for anothenoperationL V .For the purpose of insuring such tight centering action of the cover, or avoiding any tendency to looseness or tightness, asfrom variations indimensions of the covergor v aj-f riation from truly; circular form, I have shown in Figs. 11 and 12 an alternative con; struction utilizing an inserted expansionring 33, of the split ring type. Such ring ,is adapted to be inserted within a suitable annular receiving cavity 34 offla-nge'24, and generally conforms to the inner sloping face 28 and the limiting diameter 27, slightly be low the insertion slot 29. t g 1 Such ring is separated sufliciently, as fat 35,.for compression and placement in the head, and will expand and occupy its'proper position andwill function as described as to the integral metal faces.

' As shown, expansion ring 33 is mounted in annular recess 34 with slight clearance for necessary expansion, and has an inner sloping face28a and a lower vertical rim face 27a adapted to function in the same man ner as do faces 28 and 27 of the integral con struction above described. The upper edge of'ring 33 recedes slightly back of the lower edge of face 28 while the lower edge of its bottom face 27a extends slightly over the face 27, so as to ensure unobstructed but tight centering action on the downwardly moving cover 0.

One important advantage of the cup centering function of inner flaring face 25 of flange 24 is that it permits operations of the machine with cups of varying diameter within the limits of the length and angle of such face.

In Fig. 13 I show the face 25 engaging against the outer rim 1; of a cup ofincreased diameter, too large to engage the shoulder 26, and the flaring edge of the flange will thus ensure centering engagement at all times. -The machine is thus capable of operationin capping containers with'any standard diameter of cap independent of such va-' ria'tion in diameter of the upper flared rim. more or less with relation to the diameter of the standard cover receiving groove I Fig. 14 shows a further modification of the head 19 in which theflange 24 is cut entirely through, allowing for an open bottom for clearance 30. 'By such construction the machine is adapted to be used with any suitable automatic cover feed device requiring"clearance for a mechanical pusher of any type, to insert the cover in position.

InFig. 15 I show a modified construction of the plunger-actuating mechanism in which the stem 13a may be pivotally connected to lever-15, as at 36. In such case a tubular sect-ion 37 is utilized supplementing the single rod 13 having a collar 14a forengagement by spring 18 and with a short stub extension 23a fixedly mounted in the lower end of tube 37, as by welding or otherwise. Its inner end is recessed or concaved, as at 38, providing a ball-like centering bearing for the lower rounded end of stem 13a, so that such stem may exert downward pressure and may swing laterally at its upper end by its connection with lever 15, while being entirely capable of effecting downward movement of the head andits parts, in the same manner as above described.

By such construction downward pressure is always exerted centrally and any binding tendency of the plunger rod isentirely-prevented.

i The construction and operation of the in vention will be readily understood .and'appres ciated from the foregoing; descriptionh'lt provides a simple, eflicientiand continuously operativemachine for rapidand-accurate placement of caps or covers within thecontainers in the manner described, and is easily adapted to [various sizes and capacities by the easy substitution of; a different sizeho'f head and plunger and adjustment of the supportingarm 9 therefor, in connection with the adjustable cup-centering devices 4, as described.- y v. 1 The machine may be otherwise variously changed 'or modified in detail construction or otherwise by the skilled mechanic to adapt it to varying different conditions of use, but all such changes are, to be understood as'within the scope of the following-claims.

-What I claim is: v 1. A cover placing machine. having aver.- tically movable flanged headprovided with an inner annular downwardly converging cover guiding face and a transverse horizontalinsertion slot and a vertical finger clearance opening extending inwardly through, the flange, and a relatively movable plunger. 2. A cover placing machine having aver tically movableflanged head provided with a transverse insertion slot, the flange of the head being interruptedby aiinger clearance opening, beveled guiding faces on the outer; corners of the flange adjacent the clearance opening, and a relatively movable plunger. 3. A cover placing machine having a -ver= tically movable flanged-head provided'with a transverse insertion slot and a clearance opening. through .theflange midway of the slot, the flange being beveled at each side of the clearance opening 1 for insertion" of a. cover, and a relatively movable plunger within the upper portion :of the head above theslot. I r 4. Plunger mechanism for a. capper as-de scribed consisting of a reciprocable spindle having at'its lower end a-rotatably mounted annular flanged. centering head provided with an inner annular downwardly con verging coverguiding'face and a transverse slot extending through said face, and anin-i dependently movable cover inserting plunger secured to the spindle within the head. 1 l 5. Plunger mechanism comprising are'-* ciprocable spindle, a vertically-and rotatably movable annular head on the spindle having a surrounding flange provided with 'a transverse cover insertion .slot, an-interior out w-ardly flaring cup engaging face and-ea middle transverse contracted guiding nfacey and an inner relatively movable cover moving and inserting disk. 1 y 1 6. Plunger mechanism comprising a spring-retracted reciprocable spindle, -a ver tically-and rotatably movable annular head on the spindle having a surroundingflange provided with a transverse cover insertion s1ot,'an interior outwardly flaring cup-engagingface, a middle transverse contracted guiding face with an intervening shoulder, and an inner relatively movable cover moving and inserting disk. a

Plunger mechanism comprising a spring-retracted reciprocable spindle, a vertically movable and rotatable annular head on the spindle having a surrounding flange provided with a transverse cover insertion slot, an interior outwardly flaring cup-engaging face, a middle transverse contracted downwardly tapering guiding face having a terminal straight facewall and an inner annularly enlarged upper portion, and an inner relatively movable cover inserting disk on the spindle within said upper portion.

8. In a capping machine, a cover-applying head having a rim embracing flange provided with an annular flaring face and an insertion slot and a resilient annular guiding and centering device interposed between the slot and said face. i 9. In a capping machine, a cover-applying head having a rim-embracing flange provided with an annular flaring face and an insertion slot and a resilient annular guiding and centering device interposed between the slot and said face, and a relatively movable plunger Within the head operable across the wardly extending shoulder defining a contracted guiding ring, and a narrow transverse insertion slot extending through the flange above said ring, the flange having an inwardly extending finger clearance opening.

: 11'. In a capping machine, a cover-applying head having a rim-embracing flange pro vided with an annular flaring face and an inwardly extending shoulder defining a contracted guiding ring and a narrow transverse insertion. slot extending through the flange above said ring, the flange having an inwardly extending finger clearance opening, and a relatively movable plunger'within the head operable across the slot.

12. In a capping machine, a cover-applying head having a rim-embracing flange pro vided with an annular flaring face and an inwardly extending shoulder defining a contracted guiding rlng and a narrow transverse insertion slot-extending through the V 13. In a, capping machine, a cover-applying head having a rim-embracing flange provided with an annular flaring face. and an inwardly extending shoulder defining a contracted guiding ring and a narrow transverse insertion slot extending through the flange above said ring, the flange having an inwardly extending finger clearance opening, a relatively movable plunger within the head operable across the slot, means for lowering the head over a receptacle and for imparting additional downward movement to. the plunger, and means for retracting the head and plunger together. a

14. In a cover placing machine, the combination of a supporting base having a post, a vertically adjustable bracket'thereon having a spindle bearing, a spring retracted spindle therein having a lowering lever, a centering head rotatably mounted on the spindle having a depending flange provided with a tapered and shouldered inner face and a transverse insertion slot interrupted by a'finger clearance opening, and a cover inserting plunger secured to the spindle below said head and normally located immediately above the transverse slot.

15. In combination with a base having a pair of adjustable centering guides consisting of laterally swinging disks each provided with an eccentrically located securing screw, a superimposed vertically movable spring-re-' tracted circular head provided with a downwardly extending flange having an annular inwardly tapering guiding and centering face for a cover'disk and a transverse insertion slot, and an inner relatively movable plunger adapted to engage the cover for a receptacle resting on the base and engaged by theguides.

16. In combination with a base having a pair of adjustable centering guides consisting of laterally swinging disks each provided with an eccentrically located securing screw, a superimposed vertically movable spring-retracted'head provided with a downwardly extending inwardly tapered flange having a transverse insertion slot, and an inner relatively movable plunger, within. the flange adapted to engage the cover for a receptacle on the baseand held against 'said guides in centering relation to the head and plunger.

17. In a capping'machine for annular con-' tainers, the combination of a supporting base having a pair of adjustable centering guides consisting of laterally. swinging disks each provided with an eccentrically located securing screw, an upwardly extending post on the base, a plunger bracket adjustably mounted on the post, a reciprocable stem carried by the bracket, a downwardly extending inwardly tapering flanged clamping head having a transverse insertion slot and slidably mounted on the stem, a relatively movable plunger secured on the stem, a depressing lever for r the stem pivoted on the bracket, and a retracting spring.

19. In a capping machine for annular containers, the combination of a supporting base havinga pair of adjustable centering guides consisting of freely movable disks each provided with an eccentrically located securing screw, an upwardly extending post on the base, a plunger bracket adjustably mounted on the post, a reciprocable stem carried by the 0 bracket, a downwardly extending inwardly tapering flanged clamping head slidably mounted on the stem and a relatively movable plunger secured on the stem, a depressing lever having flexible connection with the reciprocable stem, and a spring adapted to normally retract the stem and lift the plunger against and with the clamping head.

20. A cover placing machine provided with a spring retracted depressible spindle and a guiding bearing therefor, a cup centering head slidably mounted on the spindle having an annular depending flange provided with an inner tapering guiding face and a transverse insertion slot, and a cover inserting plunger secured to the lower end of the spindle and normally retracted above the slot and against the head.

21. A cover placing machine provided with a spring retracted depressible spindle and a guiding bearing therefor, a cup centering head slidably mounted on the spindle having an annular depending flange provided with an inner tapering guiding face and a trans verse insertion slot and a lower flaring shouldered terminal, and a cover inserting plunger secured to the lower end of the spindle and normally retracted above the slot and against the head.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHRISTIAN N. BERGMANN. 

